Metuna Articles


	Biggest killer A letter to the Jerusalem Post By ZELDA HARRIS Sir, - A senior police officer has been dismissed and children are motherless ("As road accident deaths rise, one tragedy among many," May 30, and "Twins' father tries to cope with loss," May 31). Road deaths are rarely "accidents." They are caused by speeding, recklessness, faulty vehicles, fatigue, errors of judgment, alcohol abuse and irresponsible behavior -like lending a car to an inexperienced youngster, letting your kid ride a bike without a helmet, not belting up, using a cell phone while driving. A collision takes place every 12 minutes. Around 1,000 people are treated in hospital each week after road crashes; many crashes are not reported at all. The cost to the economy is NIS 12b. a year. At Metuna's conference in Jerusalem on May 24, Shmuel Hershkovitz, director-general of the Ministry of Internal Security, presented his plan to introduce electronic monitoring here in the form of 300 speed cameras. Their use in other countries has resulted in a dramatic drop in speed and subsequent road deaths. The vision is zero road deaths: It can be achieved only if the media play a role from which, until now, they have shied away. How is it possible, after two weeks of some of the most horrific road disasters we have known, that no expert has been invited onto prime time to talk about prevention? Can it be owing to the vested interests of the motor vehicle industry, the fuel suppliers, road builders and insurance companies? Political intrigue, financial and criminal scandals and predictions of the next terror attack sell papers and hoist ratings, while the biggest single killer in our country is already sniffing out its next victim. Call Metuna at (09) 884-4667 ZELDA HARRIS Metuna Road Safety Organization Netanya >> Back to Article List

Biggest killer